Medical appliance.



` F. l. STUART.

MEDICAL APPLIANCE.

APPLICATION Huso JuLY 25.1916.

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@Hoz neg F. J. STUART.

MEDICAL APPLIANCE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 25.1916.

Patented Sept. 11, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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1T SARS AEN @FFFQEQ FRANK J. STUART, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

MEDICAL APPLIANCE.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK J. STUART, ya citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, in the county of St. Louis and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Medical Appliances, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to devices for treating affections of the nasal passages, larynx, bronchial tubes and lungs, and seeks to provide an eiicient apparatus for applying warmed and medicated air to a patient.

It is a particular aim to enable the incorporation of all of the necessary parts within a small package or casing, adapted to be easily carried, and which may be set beneath the partly raised sash of any ordinary window. i

It is a further important purpose to give a simple construction of parts, and arrangement of the parts relatively, whereby they may be produced at a low cost for the purposes mentioned.

A further very important purpose is to give an improved means for introducing medicinal agents into the device for imparting the desired properties to the air passing therethrough. A further important aim is to provide such a device which will not require expert knowledge for its operation and proper tending. A further important aim is to so construct the device that either hot water or alcohol or other liquid fuel may be used as a heating agent.

Additional objects, advantages and features of invention will appear, these resid- ,ing in the construction, arrangement and combination of the parts as will be hereinafter described, and shown in the drawings, wherein,

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of my device in one embodiment,

Fig. 2, is a cross sectional view thereof,

Fig. 3 is a perspective view thereof partly broken away,

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the device positioned in a window.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary detail of an electric heater element for the device,

Specification lof Lettersl Patent.

Application filed July 25, 1916.

xboth ends,

Patented Sept. 11, 191'?. serial no. 111,170.

Fig. 6 is a detail of a case suitable for carrying a number of different medicaments 1n a manner to permit their rapid substitution in the device while in operation.

There is illustrated a device which comprises principally a rectangular housing 10, containing suitable elements for heating, propelling and mcdicating air, supplying the air to a suitable tube 11, extended from one side of the device, which may be provided with a nozzle 12 for insertion in the nose or other orifice of the body, as desired.

The lower part of the housing comprises side and front end walls 13 and 14, to which there is secured a bottom piece 15. In the particular construction illustrated the wall 14: is formed with an offset upper portion, whereby a ledge 16 is formed, intermediately of the height of the apparatus and eX- tending horizontally, upon which there may be rested within the housing a rectangular receptacle 17,'which may be used as a hot air chamber or as a water tank for containing hot water, as will be subsequently explained. The receptacle in the present instance is closed on all sides, and sealed, a suitable filling opening and cap being provided therein at the up er side, as shown at 18. Passing through t is receptacle there is a hollow cone or air funnel 19, the receptacle 17 having a small opening cut in one end to receive the small end of the funnel therethrough, and a large opening at the opposite end, in which the large end of the funnel is fitted. The funnel is open at and the tube l1 is fitted over the small end thereof where it projects from the receptacle. The casing 10 is provided with a suitable slot at the front end through which the small end of the funnel may project. The receptacle stops short of the rear end of the housing a suitable distance to leave a fan chamber 20, within which a' upwardly and through the top of the receptacle 17, being open at its inner and outer ends. A stopper element 23 is removably inserted in the upper end of this tube, carrying a suitable basket 24 for containing medicated cotton, the basket being of a length and size to pass freely through the tube 22, and project across the funnel, as illustrated. 'The joints between the funnel and the ends of the receptacle, and between the tube 22, the funnel and the top of the receptacle are suitably sealed to prevent leakage in case water is introduced into the receptacle.

Immediately below the shoulder 16 a fire pan 25 is provided consisting of a sheet metal floor portion 26, extending across the housing between the side walls 13, and secured to the front end wall 14, its integral rear side 27 being extended upwardly therefrom adjacent the rear end of the receptacle 17, the upper edge being extended horizontally on a level with the shoulder 16 and serving therewith to support the receptacle 17 It is secured to the sides 13 of the housing. The bottom 26 of this pan is spaced sufficiently above the bottom 15 of the housing to provide a proper space within which batteries 28 may be accommodated, of a character for operation of the fan as desired. The back end of the housing 10 includes an upper wall portion 29, and a hinged screen door 30, which may be opened for removal and replacement of batteries, or access to the fan and may be secured by any well known Jfastening suitable for the purpose. The upper part of the housing consists of a hinged lid 31, which may be raised for removal of the receptacle 17. The fan, #21 is in the present instance mounted in the chamber 20 by means of leg elements 32, formed integrally on the fan housing as ordinarily provided, the legs being secured to suitable bracket flanges 33 at the sides of the housing 10, on a level with the shoulder 16, although any other suitable form of mounting may be employed. In one of the sides 13 of the housing 10 on a level with the pan 25 and of a size suitable for the purposes in View, there is an opening 34, closed by a sliding door 35. Through the opening a lamp or burner element 36 suitable for burning alcohol or other fuel may be introduced and manipulated.

The lid 31 of the housing 10 may be provided withl a small central opening 38, through which the stopper 23 may be manipulated without opening of the housing. An opening 39 may also be provided therein registering with the filling opening 18 of the receptacle 17. j

It is not essential that the receptacle 17 be made separately from the housing 10, andit will be readily understood that various other methods of construction may be employed. Other details of the apparatus may also be modified within the scope of the invention. The housing as described may be linstance there -is shown a board 40 of a height to lit between the sill and lower sash while resting upon the top of the housing 10, the housing 10 being adjusted closely adjacent the side of the window frame and the board being constructed suitably to close the remaining space beneath the sash.

The motor for the fan is a very small one, so that it is possible to operate it on ordinary batteries for a considerable period of time. By the use of the funnel element ample pressure is attained in the tube 11 for all ordinary purposes, without possibility of eX- cessive pressure being developed. y

The liabilitv of excessive temperature in the air supplied is also obviated by the hot air developed in the chamber or receptacle 17. When suitable fuel is not available for the lamp 36, water may be heated upon an ordinary stove and Ipoured through the open-.

ing 18 until the receptacle 17 is lled, and

this will serve to warm the air passing expense for apparatus persons without special training may apply proper treatment foraifections of the nose and throat, etc., using fresh air from out of doors while themselves being protected in-do'ors, and without liability of injuring of delicate membranes or other parts treated. It is also possible to replenish and tend batteries and parts of the appliance without special knowledge.

In the use of the appliance, the proper medicinal material being supplied to the absorbent element carried by the stopper, the device being in proper position in a window, the lamp 36 is lighted, and the switch 47 closed, causing the fan to operate, the fan being preferably started after the lamp has burned ya short time, in order to give opportunity for the heating of the air in the receptacle 17. The proper nozzle is then connected to the tube 11 and inserted in the nose or the mouth, as the case may be, the nasal and throat passages all being permitted to assume a normal relaxed position. A gentle draft of medicated air will thereby be caused to circulate through the passages, ex-

,through the nose, and in case the nozzle is inserted in the nose, the air may pass outwardly through the mouth, when the organs of the head are permitted to assume a relaxed position as explained. Breathing may be proceeded with, by either making inspiration through the nozzle, or by breathing through the mouth if the nozzle is inserted in the nose, or through the nose, when the nozzle is in the mouth, if the medicated air is not desired in large quantity in the lungs. If the lungs are to be treated, however, it is desirable to breathe so as to inspire the air passing through the nozzle.

While the device is illlustrated in a form especially7 adapted to supply out of door air to a patient Within doors, it will be understood that if desired the device may be simply set upon a table and indoor air passed therethrough, or it may be used out of doors in the same Way.

The device is not dependent on the use of a motor to operate the fan, and various means may be employed to cause proper draft of air through the device. The fan motor may be operated by the usual plug connection to be screwed into an ordinary electric light socket. Other heating devices other than the lamp or hot Water may be employed, also. For instance, in Fig. 5 there is indicated an electric heating element 50 mounted across the funnel element, which may be connected in series with the fan 2l, or a coiled heating element may be used. It is an advantage of the device in this form that an extremely small fan motor may be employed in series with the heating element, on the ordinary lighting circuit Without liability of burning out, Where such a motor would ordinarily require a special resistance to protect it. A socket 45 is indicated formally at the inner or front end of the device With which the cord connections may be made in any familiar Way, from which socket Wires 46 lead to the switch 47 by which the operation of the motor is controlled.

The device is available as a room ventilator, also, When not to be used in medication through the tube 11, and permits proper ventilation Without liability of chilling drafts which might be damaging to an invalid or convalescent, the gauze serving as a strainer, which may be used with or Without medicaments, or antiseptics. y

The fact that in certain affections of the nose, throat, and lungs, cold air is extremely irritating and injurious, tending to aggravate, accentuate or prolong the diseases, when breathed, is generally appreciated by the medical profession, and the value of my invention will therefore be readily understood.

My appliance is of great value to the visiting physician, particularly to a specialist, as it may be carried about with ease for the treatment of different patients, who may have their individual nozzles to be fitted to the tube 1l, the device being unaffected by use so that there will be no danger of sepsis. In use, on account of the various medicaments required for various different diseases, the physician may be equipped with a partitioned case such as shown at 51 in Fig. 6, in which a large number of the baskets 24 may be carried, their Stoppers serving to close the individual compartments in the case into which the baskets have been inserted. This permits the successive treatment of cases with different medicaments Without Waste of the agents or of time, as one basket may be withdrawn from the funnel, inserted in the case 51, and another taken from the case and introduced into the funnel in a few seconds. This is also of advantage in permitting the treatment of the same case with different elements in quick succession in order to produce desired reactions, or where mixture of the two or their vapors would neutralize their el'ects.

The basket 24 is to be made of ample size and sufficiently open construction to permit ready passage of air therethrough, and through the gauze or other holder of the medicament.

What is claimed is:

l. A device of the character described comprising a housing having inlet and outlet openings, a receptacle therein having a conical passage therethrough and through the housing, a fan of the screw propeller type mounted coaxially with the passage, means within the housing to drive the fan, and a heater appliance in said housing beneath said receptacle.

2. A device of the character described comprisino' a housing, an intermedial heated fluid ciamber formed therein at the upper part stopping short of one end, a hollow conical element extended through said chamber and through the housing, a screw propeller fan mounted concentrically With said conical element, a motor for the fan, said housing having an air inlet immediately adjacent the fan, a lamp containing chamber in said housing immediately beneath the rst named chamber, a housing for batteries, and operative connections between the batteries and said motor.

3. A device of the character described including a receptacle for containing heated water, and having opposed side portlons, one having a small aperture therethrough and the other having a large opening therethrough, a funnel element inserted through the large opening with the smaller end fitted hermetically in the aperture, and its larger part connected to, the edges of the large opening hermeticaily, said receptacle having stopper of a size and proportion to project 10 a top, a lling opening in the top, registered across the funnel element, for the purposes openings being formed in the said top'and described.

top side of the funnel, a tube element eX- In testimony whereof I have aixed my tending between the last named openings signature in presence of tWo Witnesses.

and hermetically connected to the edges FRANK J. STUART. thereof, a stopper element constructed and Witnesses:

shaped to fit snugly in the upper end of the F. J. CORNWELL, Jr.,

tube, and a medicating devlce carried by the E. R. BABCOOK. 

